Did You Know...

Rapper-turned-political analyst Snoop Dogg weighed in last week with his top 10 list of reasons he’s voting for Barack Obama instead of Mitt Romney. It is, of course, filled with expletives, ad hominem, and bigotry. The list has gone viral among young voters — because, you know, it adds to the coolness factor of the celeb-in-chief.

In the spirit of list-i-ness, disclosure, and an informed citizenry, here’s a handy list of Obama supporter Snoop Dogg’s Top 10 criminal charges over the years (adapted from The Age, WaPo, About.com, and other sources):

Real name: Cordozar Calvin Broadus Junior

Born: October 20, 1971, Long Beach, California.

1. 1990 – Convicted of felony drug possession and possession for sale (cocaine) and a member of Los Angeles gang the Crips.

2. July 1993 – Stopped for a traffic violation; firearm found by police while conducting a search of his car.

3. August 1993 – Arrested, later acquitted, of murder charge after rival gang member Phillip Woldermarian gunned down by shots alleged to have come from a car he and two fellow gang members members were in at the time. Broadus was represented by O.J. Simpson lawyer Johnnie Cochran. Broadus was found not guilty of all charges but voluntary manslaughter, on which the jury deadlocked.

4. 1994, 1995 – Fought charges pending from attempted murder case.

5. 1997 – Pleaded guilty to assault charges before he promised to make public service announcements against violence in exchange for three years probation.

6. 1998 – Fined and arrested for a misdemeanor of marijuana possession.

7. October 2001 – Arrested again for misdemeanor of marijuana possession. In 2002 pleaded no contest and fined about $400 with suspended 30-day jail sentence.

8. 2003 – Implicated in civil rape case from when he guest-hosted the TV show Jimmy Kimmel Live. One month before the 36-year-old plaintiff filed her suit, Snoop sued her accusing her of extortion. Both suits dropped.

9. 2006 – Snoop and entourage banned from the United Kingdom and British Airways after a fracas at London’s Heathrow Airport. Snoop was later cautioned for using threatening words or behaviour.

10. 2006 – Detained at John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California by airport security in September because his carry-on bag contained a collapsible, 21-inch police baton which was deemed to be a dangerous weapon. Charged with one felony count of knowingly possessing a deadly weapon.

11. 2006 – Arrested in October at Bob Hope Airport in Burbank, California in possession of marijuana and a firearm.

12. 2006 – Arrested in November for possession of marijuana and a firearm after performing on The Tonight Show.

13. 2007 – Arrested after performing in a concert with P.Diddy in Sweden for suspected drug use. Released after providing a urine sample. Denies all charges.

14. 2007 – Escapes a jail term on gun and drug charges in April but sentenced to five years probation and 800 hours community service.

15. 2007 – Denied entry visa to Australia to perform at MTV Music Video Awards for not fulfilling character requirements.